The present invention relates to a PC card connector, and more specifically relates to a PC card connector which has a structure in which a pressing bar does not protrude at times other than when a PC card is being ejected.
PC card connector 200 disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 8-96891 is universally known as a conventional PC card connector. In PC card connector 200, as shown in FIG. 11, an ejector member 204 is installed in a frame 202 attached to a main body so that ejector member 204 can slide. A spring 206 is attached to the ejector member 204. Engaging end 208 of spring 206 moves through a first circular cam groove (not shown), and positions the ejector member 204 in an outer position whereby the ejector member 204 protrudes to the right from the frame 202, or an inner position in which the ejector member 204 is pushed into the frame 202. A front edge of the ejector member 204 has an xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d shape, and an intermediate the bar 210 is installed which engages the edge. A guided shaft 220 of the intermediate bar 210 is guided by a second circular cam groove (not shown), and is driven by a spring 212.
When the ejector member 204 protrudes to the right, a front end 213 of the ejector member 204 moves to a rear end 214 of the intermediate bar 210, so that the intermediate bar 210 is caused to pivot upward about shaft 216 by the spring 212. Then, when the rear end 214 of the intermediate bar 210 and the front end 213 of the ejector member 204 engage each other, and the ejector member 204 is pushed inwardly, the intermediate bar 210 moves to the left with the shaft 216 being guided by the slot 222, and with the guided shaft 220 being guided by the second circular cam groove, so that the front end 218 of the intermediate bar 210 pushes the eject bar 221, thus ejecting the PC card (not shown) via an arm bar (not shown).
In the conventional example described above, when the push bottom 201 is depressed, the eject bar 221 is locked in the position which ejects the PC card; accordingly, a new PC card cannot be inserted. Furthermore, two circular cam grooves, which require a relatively large area, must be formed in a limited space, so that the structure is complicated. Moreover, a large pressing bar stroke makes it possible to obtain a low-operating force; however, since the cam grooves are small, the stroke of the pressing bar is reduced, so that a low-operating force cannot be obtained. With a single circular cam groove, the structure would be simplified, and the degree of freedom in design would be increased. Furthermore, respective springs 206 and 212 are required in order to drive the ejector member 204 and the intermediate bar 201 to the side.
A further system for ejecting circuit boards from computers is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,527. This ejection system is a two-stage system having the drawback of requiring two discrete actions by an operator to eject a circuit board.
The present invention was devised in light of the above points. One feature of the present invention is to provide a PC card connector with a low-operating force which makes it possible, by means of a relatively simple structure, to insert a PC card even when the eject bar is pushed in. Furthermore, another feature of the present invention is to provide a PC card connector which has a small number of parts.
A PC card connector of the present invention is equipped with a frame which accommodates a PC card, an ejection member which ejects the PC card, and an eject bar which drives the ejection member, the PC card connector is further equipped with a pressing bar, a swinging bar which is pivot mounted so that the swinging bar substantially overlaps with the pressing bar, and so that the swinging bar can pivot, and a guide plate which guides a free end of the winging bar, and which has a circular cam groove with an outer position that stops the pressing bar in a position at which the pressing bar is caused to protrude, and an inner position which stops the pressing bar in a position in which the pressing bar is pressed in and the swinging bar moves in a lateral direction, engages with the eject bar and presses the eject bar only when the swinging bar moves from the outer position to the inner position.
It is desirable that there be only one circular cam groove. Furthermore, it is desirable that the swinging bar be constantly pushed toward the guide plate by a spring member.
A PC card connector comprises a frame in which a PC card is received for electrical connection with an electrical connector, an ejection member pivotally mounted to the frame, a reciprocally-operated eject bar connected to one end of the ejection member for pivotally operating the ejection member to eject a PC card in the card connector, wherein a guide plate assembly is operatively connected to the eject bar to reciprocally operate the eject bar including a pressing bar and a guide plate along which the pressing bar moves, a swinging bar connected between the pressing bar and the guide plate so that when the pressing bar is moved from an initial position to a card-ejection position, the swinging bar engages the eject bar thereby moving the eject bar to a card-ejection position.